|
|
|
|
|
| | Looking for new coffee!Page 1 of 3 (1, 2, 3) | So, all my life, I've been drinking instant coffee. Folgers, to be specific. It was nice, especially with just a little bit of Sweet Italian Creme flavor Coffee-Mate. It was quick and ready to drink whenever I only had a pinch of time in the morning.
Finally, I inherited a French press (branded by Ikea) from a friend who was moving. I bought a pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee because the commercials made it sound like it was the best coffee ever. Let me tell you. After just drinking Instant Folgers your entire life, Dunkin' Donuts is a very good coffee! I pretty much vowed to never drink instant coffee again. Sure, it might take a little longer to prepare a cup. The effort of waking up a little earlier is probably better for me anyway.
So now I come to you guys. I'm almost out of my Dunkin' Donuts coffee and I'm in need of a new coffee to try, now that my tastebuds have been enlightened. Sure, I can just buy another Dunkin' Donuts package, especially since I know that I like it. On the other hand, wouldn't I just set myself up for another Folgers situation?
I've heard good things about Peet's****son blend and Seattle's Best Cinnabon flavored coffee. As well as some local roasters from around the area. I'm aware that you and I may have different tastes. Do not fret. I'm seriously open to anything.
Recommendations begin now. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/19/2010 5:57:00 PM | if there are local roasters start there by trying a little of the different beans they will sell. hope you also bought a grinder, so you can use whole beans.
from the supermarket i like an old brand called 8 o'clock coffee, i get their colombian whole beans. the price is reasonable and it's just dang good coffee!
seems as if i remember some coffee threads on here too, do a search and you might find some good opinions already here.
tb | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/19/2010 6:26:55 PM | | Wawa sells really good coffee and you can get it over the internet. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/20/2010 9:45:42 AM | Peet's is pretty good and easy to find in most grocery stores. It's one of my back ups for when I run out of Community.
My all time favorite is Community Coffee, a small place out of New Orleans. Google them and you can order dierectly from them. They also do a chicory blend that makes my heart sing :) | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/20/2010 7:50:24 PM | I've had good luck going to a grocery store where they sell the whole beans with a grinder right there for you to use ... I started out getting MAYBE 1/8th lb of SEVERAL different coffees ... I needed to determine what I liked cuz, after years of marriage, I knew what my husband liked but had no clue about MY tastes!
turns out that I like the darker roasts and the deeper, more flavorful beans ... I LOVE the ones that have chocolate or vanilla flowers or almonds mixed in with the coffee ...
also, when grinding the small amounts of coffee I buy ... I crank the grinder all the way to "Turkish grind" then bring it back maybe two clicks ... the coffee is then ground powder fine ... I use that in my French press or in my drip pot where the hot water slowly filters thru the coffee grinds ...
I love coffee ... shhhh ... this is a secret ... but ... in a pinch, I've been known to actually use an International Maxwell blend of INSTANT COFFEE with the spices and everything already mixed in! shhhh ... secret! my favorite is peppermint mocha latte ... it's just like having dessert for breakfast!
 | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/20/2010 8:51:48 PM | I used to work at Starbucks, so I'v tried all of their regular, seasonal, and a few of their Black Apron Exclusives. That being said, my all time favorites are Etheopian Sidamo, Colombia and Guatamala Antigua.
Why these? Because I hate, *HATE* dark coffee that tastes like tar or dirt (Sumatra, French Roast, ect). These three are light with a unique taste. Sidamo has notes of lemon, which I adore, Colombia is slightly buttery and both Colombia and Guatamala Antigua are bright and taste like sunshine.
I also have green beans from Yemen that I'll roast myself and grind up. But since you seem to want something more on the commercialized end, I'd recommend either of those 3. You can go into any Starbucks and ask to try it in a french press before you buy a bag of beans.
If you want something darker, try the Verona. It doesn't taste like dirt. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/20/2010 11:25:39 PM | These are all very good suggestions!
Keep them coming!
Just like I said, I am open to anything. My tastebuds have been enlightened! Not exactly in that order, but I said it none the less.
Roasting my own green beans sounds intriguing. I'll have to remember to pick some up the next time I'm in Yemen.
I noticed that only females have responded to this post. Not complaining, just observing.
I digress. More coffee please! | |
|
| |
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/21/2010 8:53:02 PM | Texas Babe is correct!!! the Eight O'Clock grind-it-yourself varities are really!!!!! good. They were sold at A&P when i was a kid. There was a large grinder to do the whole package at a time [this was before the home grinder was available] at A&P and it smelled so!!!!!! good when it was in use. Grinders are now only twelve bucks or so, that is good. You can grind-as-you-go. I have heard that the coffee maker you ahve is a really good type, but I have not used one, only my Mr. Coffee. I bought some regular Yuban [pre-ground only] on sale 2 cans for price of 1, the regular is very good and next i will enjoy the dark roast.
Your getting away from instant is a 10,000% improvement.
 | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/24/2010 4:01:32 PM | French press is a great coffee maker, nothing beats the taste of coffee made in one, -if- you get the right coffee. There are many that will be good, but my favs come from a guy in El Salvador I originally started buying from ebay, they ship their yearly harvest to a warehouse in Dallas, and when you order, they roast and ship for about half what starbucks sells their premium brands for. I get 20lbs of yellow cherry arabica dark roast for about $134 with shipping, and it is _THE_ bomb let me tell you, starbucks cannot touch this coffee.
I personally favor a darker roast, nice and shiny and sticky in the bag with that totally dark chocolaty smoky aroma, not quite espresso roast, but very close to it.
Dunkin' Donuts is not dark enough for me even though it is very good coffee. Go to a local high end grocery and grind whole beans in their grinder until you find what you like.
The grind needs to be coarse for a french press. When you get interested in a grinder for the home, forget about blade grinders and go for a burr grinder. It will grind more consistently and if you get a geared down model like the Capresso or the Maestro, those are conical burr grinders and are the best for the home market for the money. You will spend between $70 and $130 for a conical burr grinder on auction. The big Kitchenaid burr grinder is a flat burr grinder but it is very good in that it has glass and metal parts therefore no static. About $160 on auction. The grinders I mentioned earlier do have plastic parts and the static electricity they generate can be VERY annoying because it makes a mess in the kitchen when you want to take the ground coffee out and pour it in the press. A piece of tin foil laid in the coffee ground hopper seems to help but it doesn't eliminate the static all together.
Americans get about 25% of their dietary fiber from coffee. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants and has some great health benefits. It also has some cholesterol in the oil but I think the benefits outweigh the risk tremendously. If you filter coffee like a drip maker, you lose the caffeinol which has the cholesterol in it, but you also lose a lot of the fiber and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to read that Americans throw out the most beneficial part of their morning coffee every time they empty their coffee filter. French press lets this sediment through into your cup and it's my suspicion there is more healthy stuff in that sediment than researchers are letting on about at this time.
I love good strong Cajun coffee like Community with chicory or Cafe Du Monde with chicory. Chicory is a root that they started roasting and grinding into coffee about 200+ years ago in Louisiana because the French couldn't get coffee past the naval blockade and it has been made that way ever since. Since chicory doesn't have any caffeine in it, cajun coffee might even be better for those who cannot stand full caffeinated coffee. I just love the flavor of it and that sweat it puts on your brow while you walk the French Quarter in New Orleans. If you truly love coffee, this is something you have to experience at least once in your lifetime.
Check out your local supermarkets that have some good whole bean coffee and find a roast you like, grind it coarse and enjoy it. Try some of the gourmet dark roast beans from ebay. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/24/2010 5:01:43 PM | mmmmmm.... coffee 
My favorite is mocha java, almost all the brands of this that I have tried have been good. I generally buy whole beans from the bulk bins at my grocery store (or the big bags of store brand beans) and, then grind them at home as needed. I find the other flavoured beans are much too powerful straight up. I like to mix just a little of the flavoured with some plain beans such as columbian supremo... or dark columbian... or even my mocha java. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/25/2010 8:09:34 PM | Our supermarket is doing a remodel and had Starbucks marked down to four bucks a bag, so I bought a couple bags today. Not what I normally choose when buying coffee, but couldn't resist the price. I love a bargain..
tb | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 8/27/2010 7:06:13 PM | | As it gets closer to Christmas, go get Casi Cielo from starbucks. It is hands down my fave ever. Prior to that one, I was a coffee is coffee girl. Now, I do notice the different subtleties, though I have no idea what the right terms are. I don't like italian coffees, not a big fan of colombian. Adore the guatamalan. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/2/2010 5:33:11 PM |
The grind needs to be coarse for a french press. When you get interested in a grinder for the home, forget about blade grinders and go for a burr grinder. I use my blade grinder carefully, simply because I prefer flavoured coffees so I add a piece of vanilla bean to the coffee beans or a piece of cinnamon stick depending on my mood. You just have to be careful that you don't overgrind the beans. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/3/2010 12:22:55 AM | Please could I suggest you buy fair trade coffee beans?
"Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate, flowers and gold."
The coffee ranges are delicious and you can enjoy your cup even more knowing that the growers and pickers were paid properly and the environment is being looked after. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/3/2010 10:19:40 AM | If you really believe in supporting your local farmers with your pocketbook then buy Hawaiian - - Kona and Maui.
It's the best in the world and the only quality coffee grown in the country.
Though I don't live anywhere near Motown I still buy Fords. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/3/2010 12:50:40 PM | | The issue with blade grinders is that they tend to overheat when grinding the bean, which means it'll burn off alot of the oil on the bean. This means you get a rather dull cup of coffee, as most of the flavor is in the oil. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/3/2010 1:21:58 PM |
The issue with blade grinders is that they tend to overheat when grinding the bean, which means it'll burn off alot of the oil on the bean. If the coffee grinder is overheating, it means one of two things: 1. You need to have the blades sharpened. 2. You're over-grinding your beans. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/3/2010 4:15:10 PM | | I not much of a coffee drinker, but my girlfriend believes the morning is not officially started until the first cup has been consumed. One of her favorites is from the Hondo Coffee Company, hondocoffee .c*m, a local roaster in Virginia. It's Fair Trade coffee grown in Honduras, and the roaster owns the coffee plantation down there. All of the their stuff is pretty good, but she especially likes the Italian Roast, which is extra dark. She also uses a French press and grinds the beans herself. | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/3/2010 5:51:22 PM | vbxtc ~ I'm right there with your lady! I get up half an hour early just so I can have my first cup of coffee before I have to talk to anyone.
Kona coffee is my favorite, but don't treat my self very often, it is pretty expensive.
tb | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/4/2010 3:37:33 PM | I developed a taste for coffee in Italy where the coffee is very strong and very good. Unlike what they call "Italian roast" here, their coffee is not so nearly darkly roasted.
I like Whole Foods Costa Rican. It's a "light" to "medium" roast (seems any more anything not completely black is a "light" roast). I buy whole beans and grind my own. I only drink one small cup a day so I don't mind splurging on good coffee. I use an Italian moka.
Have fun. You're opening up a whole new world.
Americans get about 25% of their dietary fiber from coffee.
What????? And exactly where did this information come from? Since when did coffee have any fiber at all, unless you're chewing the beans themselves? | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/6/2010 7:55:58 AM | Good Morning People...I'm having Wild Mountain Blueberry Coffee...drinking it black...its pretty good coffee...its by Cameron's... | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/7/2010 3:43:30 AM | Coffee is high in soluble dietary fiber. This is the good kind of fiber that dissolves in water and prevents your intestines from absorbing cholesterol.
Here is but one reference but there are quite a few good sources of information on the healthy benefits of coffee. Researchers over the last 10 years or so are discovering coffee has many more health benefits than previously known:
http://dietaryfiberguide.com/high-fiber-foods/dietary-fiber-coffee/
More Fiber in Coffee Than Orange Juice?
Coffee, a well-established source of antioxidants, may also be a richer source of soluble dietary fiber than orange juice, researchers report.
http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view-article&id=4594
And just when you thought we had a thorough understanding of various brewing methods, varying degrees of roasting, i.e. dark, medium, espresso roast, now comes more research showing how coffee roasted with sugar produces a much higher antioxidant content than normal methods of roasting. Welcome the word "torrefacto" into the coffee world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrefacto
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306112550.htm
Scientists are also identifying compounds in dark roasted coffee as being stomach-friendly which might help coffee drinkers that have problems with stomach acids and heartburn from coffee:
http://www.physorg.com/news188456653.html
I love my coffee. I quit smoking, quit drinking, please oh please, do NOT come after my coffee! | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/9/2010 10:07:16 AM | Wow, this post is getting huge! Thanks for all the different input.
All this non-instant coffee is making me a super student, so I'm already reaping all the benefits.
Since then, I've tried a store brand coffee (World Market), a Chicory-Coffee, a flavored coffee, and some beans from the bean dispensers at the grocery store.
I remember buying someone a coffee grinder for Christmas one year, and all it took was asking that person if they still use it. Turns out they didn't, so now I got a free coffee grinder too! (Even though I did pay for it in the past)
The coffee at World Market (Breakfast Blend, to be specific) is when I started to notice my alertness in the classroom. Since it was a store brand, I found it to be very affordable and I look forward to purchasing more coffee with the World Market name. It also helps that it's pretty darn good coffee to drink. They also offer fair trade coffee, which will probably be the next choice.
The chicory coffee happened completely by chance when they offered a free sample at Trader Joe's. Even though I totally dig the history of Chicory in Coffee down in Louisiana, I wasn't really into the flavor. However, if there's one thing I've learned in this coffee crusade, it's that it takes time to make the perfect cup of coffee. I won't be able to make my perfect cup on the first try and trying the one sample isn't really doing this coffee justice. I'm sure once I have my own supply of Chicory coffee, I can plan accordingly.
My first encounter with whole beans from the grocery store (my "free" grinder is a blade grinder, but I really could not beat the price) is the essence of the lesson learned above. I literally had to google some images of a coarse grind to figure out how to manipulate the grinder. I can't tell if it was the roast or the beans or the grind, but I do know that I had to add TWICE as much coffee (thus, more strong) to drink it just the way I like it.
Flavored Coffee Beans turned out to be very uninteresting. French Toast (described as a buttery, maple flavor, dusted with cinnamon) didn't really have much flavor. Roast is SUPER light (so I read) in flavor coffee. I really thought it was going to taste like it's flavor, instead it just tasted like coffee-water. Not sure if that's the bean's fault or the grinder's fault, but I did the same "Twice as much" method and though I can drink it the way I like it, I still can't taste the flavors.
I will try a Mountain Blueberry flavor based on recommendation, though I can see that flavored coffee probably won't be my style.
I wonder just how big this post can get. We're all so unique as human beings and I love all the input! More please! | |
|
| Looking for new coffee!
Posted: 9/10/2010 5:28:42 PM | Kona coffee from Hawaii is my favorite as a treat. Its worth trying the 100% Kona it at least once. I would buy it more often if I could afford it because it is made in America.
The blends that have some Kona in them mixed with other coffees might not have all that much Kona in them, so be careful not to get ripped off, since it is expensive, and people are expecting to pay more. Usually they contain only the minimum required 10% Kona coffee and 90% cheaper imported beans.
I discovered Kona when I was dating a Native of Hawaii in college. He had great connections from family at home. He was a Chemist and had lots of scientific explanations of why it was the best, but that was 20 years ago. I suppose I should give some credit to that coffee for getting me on the Dean's List that year.
I tried Emeril's blend when I was travelling recently. I stayed at a nice hotel and I was surprised how good the coffee was, so I asked the brand and took some home with me.
For home, I mostly buy Fair Trade, Organic coffee -- whole beans. If you have a local roaster, try their brand. Coffee tastes best if you drink it as soon as possible after it has been roasted. Just like any other food, it spoils, the oils in it can go rancid, and it can loose a lot of the flavour as it ages through evaporation. A huge part of the coffee taste is in the scent. So grind it just before making it. This releases the scent and just grinding it will make your kitchen smell good.
There is a debate on the value of this, but I keep my coffee beans in the freezer. I am the only coffee drinker in my household, and I don't drink coffee every day, so this is the way I keep it fresh. I love drinking tea, and I also have to give up coffee periodically for a week or two at a time, to give my brain a rest so I can sleep better. Once you take a break from the coffee, the effect of drinking it again is enhanced because your body is less habituated to it.
I have used a Bodum French Press melior pot for over 25 years. I use the glass version because I can taste the plastic in the plastic ones. The glass is made from Pyrex I think, so it is much sturdier than regular glass. I mostly use the filter that came with it, and wash it, but you can also buy small round pre-cut filters made to fit inside your melior filter. There is a slight bitterness that is removed by using a paper filter, and some people say this makes the coffee somewhat healthier but I can't remember the reason right now...hmmmm time for some more coffee. When I am entertaining guests who are used to drip coffee systems, I use the filters. I used to use non-chlorinated coffee filters, but I can't seem to find them in the small rounds.
I use a spice grinder that is exclusively for grinding coffee. Be careful what else you grind in your grinder. You can get an inexpensive mortar and pestle for grinding spices. No electricity required. I don't do a coarse grind...I grind mine pretty fine, because I am one of those that actually likes the bit of sediment in my cup from it.
In my area Alterra's is the best local grinder/purveyor of coffee. You mentioned that women were mostly posting here. So here's the advice I learned from my favorite male coffee addict. He knows when Alterra's grinds its coffee, and goes to the roaster/grinder location directly and buys his stash that same day. They have their entire operation open so that you can sit and drink the coffee while watching the various coffees roasting and being ground. He gets the whole beans, and grinds just what he is making for the day.
I was able to purchase an insulated coffee pot made of stainless steel that worked like a melior. It will not only make the coffee, but keep it warm for hours without reheating. I still prefer to see the coffee through the glass of my old melior, so what I do to keep it warm longer, is to cover it with an insulated quilt made by a local quilter to fit over a melior. She takes large hot-pads in jazzy colors and sews them together to form a 4-sided tent, with a tassle on the top. You can also wrap it in a towel.
I don't recommend buying flavoured coffee. Just add the flavours you like for yourself. I like adding just a single flavour, since coffee is a complicated flavour in itself. Try cardamom, natural vanilla pods, cinnamon, a good quality very dark chocolate, fresh mint, whole peppercorns. Try adding melted ice cream of any flavour instead of those pre-made lighteners with all those chemicals in them.
You can also use your melior to make tea. I like making a spice blend called Chai *, in the winter. The same spices can be used to flavour coffee for a holiday taste and scent. You can also just buy what is called "Mulling Spices" and put them into your coffee before pressing.
I get more "life" out of my used coffee grounds by putting them into my compost pile, and my garden plants seem to get a special kick from it.
* Chai recipe
Boil 5 minutes, then steep 10 minutes:
1 Tbsp fennel or anise seed
6 green cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4" ginger root, sliced thin
1/4 tsp black pepper corns
2 bay leaves
7 Cups water
Add, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes:
2 Tbsp Darjeeling tea
Add:
6 Tbsp honey or brown sugar
1 Cup almond milk
| |
|
|
|
Home
login 
